51-8013.00 · Task explorer
Power Plant Operators: reported tasks and exploration worksheet
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
Use the skill profile to plan your next practice →
Read the task inventory
This source lists 30 tasks, including 13 marked Core and 9 marked Supplemental. Labels and dates are retained below. Employers can combine or divide these responsibilities differently; explore the task itself before assuming it belongs in every version of the role.
Task source dates: 08/2024, 11/2020.
30 tasks shown
Core · Task 12328 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
Core · Task 12318 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
Core · Task 12316 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
Core · Task 12319 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
Core · Task 12314 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
Core · Task 19914 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
Core · Task 12325 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
Core · Task 12321 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.
Core · Task 12317 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Regulate equipment operations and conditions, such as water levels, based on instrument data or from computers.
Core · Task 12320 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Inspect records or log book entries or communicate with plant personnel to assess equipment operating status.
Core · Task 12322 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Clean, lubricate, or maintain equipment, such as generators, turbines, pumps, or compressors, to prevent failure or deterioration.
Core · Task 12324 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Record and compile operational data by completing and maintaining forms, logs, or reports.
Core · Task 12327 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Make adjustments or minor repairs, such as tightening leaking gland or pipe joints.
Supplemental · Task 12315 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Adjust controls to generate specified electrical power or to regulate the flow of power between generating stations and substations.
Supplemental · Task 19915 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Operate, control, or monitor equipment, such as acid or gas carbon dioxide removal units, carbon dioxide compressors, or pipelines, to capture, store, or transport carbon dioxide exhaust.
Supplemental · Task 19916 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Operate, control, or monitor gasifiers or related equipment, such as coolers, water quenches, water gas shifts reactors, or sulfur recovery units, to produce syngas or electricity from coal.
Supplemental · Task 12323 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Communicate with systems operators to regulate and coordinate line voltages and transmission loads and frequencies.
Supplemental · Task 19917 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Operate, control, or monitor integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) or related equipment, such as air separation units, to generate electricity from coal.
Supplemental · Task 12330 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Receive outage calls and request necessary personnel during power outages or emergencies.
Supplemental · Task 12326 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Collect oil, water, or electrolyte samples for laboratory analysis.
Supplemental · Task 12331 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Examine and test electrical power distribution machinery and equipment, using testing devices.
Supplemental · Task 12329 · 08/2024 · Incumbent
Place standby emergency electrical generators on line in emergencies and monitor the temperature, output, and lubrication of the system.
Unspecified · Task 23612 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Analyze the layout, instrumentation, or function of electrical generation or transmission facilities.
Unspecified · Task 23613 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Diagnose or troubleshoot problems with gas collection systems.
Unspecified · Task 23614 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Monitor well fields periodically to ensure proper functioning and performance.
Unspecified · Task 23615 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Operate landfill gas, methane, or natural gas fueled electrical generation systems.
Unspecified · Task 23616 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Prepare and submit compliance, operational, and safety forms or reports.
Unspecified · Task 23617 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Repair or replace gas piping.
Unspecified · Task 23618 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Trace electrical circuitry to ensure compliance of electrical systems with applicable codes or laws.
Unspecified · Task 23619 · 11/2020 · Analyst
Verify that well field monitoring data conforms to applicable regulations.
Make the shortlist useful
- Choose one to three activities that tell you something different about the work. Avoid selecting several ways of describing the same interest.
- For each, write an example you can discuss or a question that would change your understanding of the role.
- Keep source task IDs with your notes so you can return to the same description. Do not include private employer or customer information.
The exported worksheet distinguishes the reported task from your own notes. It supports exploration, not a hiring decision or a validated assessment.
Keep your worksheet
Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.
Source and practice material
Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.
Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.